Bulgarian historian, “Filip”, was conducting field research for a book on the Balkan Wars when he ran across a local farmer (“Trayche”) in the small village of Novo Selo in Macedonia on October 26, 2014 who presented him with a very interesting story – that he had found a box, chained shut, containing the skeletonized skull of a werewolf while plowing a new section of field. Surely Filip doubted the outlandish claim but the farmer then produced the box, werewolf skull inside, for Filip to witness himself.

Trayche would not allow Filip to take the skull but did permit him to take pictures of the ghastly head. Filip presented the photo of the skull to a government wildlife official who felt it was not a monkey skull but more likely a wolf that suffered from Paget disease, a condition which causes the skull to increase in size (and apparently appear more human-like).

Werewolves, also known as Varkolak, are a recurring theme in the folklore of every region of Eastern Europe. Although Trayche (the farmer) has his doubts, Novo Selo locals insist the skull in the box belongs to a real-life werewolf.

“He told me about crazy people turning into werewolves, but he didn’t seem to have any deep belief in it.”

The skull does indeed exhibit odd anomalies, bearing resemblance to a canine skull with some human characteristics, particularly around the eyes. The chain that bound the box certainly tells us that whoever placed the skull inside the wooden box had good reason to ensure it did not get out.

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